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    Hey Don S, Which Merc Manual #'s do I need??

    I have a 1988 Alpha I 1st Gen drive and a 1988 Merc 4.3LX engine. Do you need the serial #'s to tell me which Merc manual #'s I need for the engine and the drive?
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    Which Merc Manual #'s do I need??

    I have a 1988 Alpha I 1st Gen drive and a 1988 Merc 4.3LX engine. Do you need the serial #'s to tell me which Merc manual #'s I need for the engine and the drive?
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    What's my gear ratio?

    I have a 1988 Alpha I drive, ser # 0B995741. How can I tell what the factory gear ratio was (is) without pulling the lower unit?
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    Which prop is right - revisited

    We just bought a 1988 19' Sea Ray bowrider with a Mercruiser 4.3LX and Alpha I drive. The prop that came with the boat is a 4 blade aluminum 19 pitch. The current prop, when the boat is fully loaded, may be too much. Last time I went out with 5 adults and 2 kids total - best I could do was...
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    1988 Alpha I Lower Unit Trim Tab

    I have a 1988 Alpha I question. I only use my boat in freshwater and it is trailered most of the time. I have read the many threads on the importance of "zincs" or anodes. We bought our boat earlier this year and I noticed that the anode trim tab that attaches on the lower unit aft of the...
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    Need online service manuals!

    Can anyone direct me to online service manuals for both my 1988 Mercruiser 4.3LX and 1988 Alpha I drive? Thanks for all the great advice and assistance!
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    What is causing this wear on my lower unit?

    We just bought this 1988 Sea Ray 19' bowrider with a Mercruiser 4.3LX V6. Two questions: 1) With the drive all the way up, I noticed the wear (see photos). Is this an alignment problem? What's going on here? 2) Also, I noticed that the trim tab fin on the lower unit has been cut off...
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    What Oil Should I Use?

    Does someone have the current spec for engine oil weight for a 1988 Mercruiser 4.3LX? We typically have several weeks above 100 in the summer and several weeks below freezing in the winter. I do not intend to use the boat over the winter. Any help would be appreciated.
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    How Much Should Winterization Cost???

    For those of us who understand the importance of winterizing engine and drive BUT were born genetically incapable of performing this necessary annual ritual, how much should we expect to pay a marine shop to do it? I know there are different labor rates, etc., but what's a ballpark? I have a...
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    1996 Wave Venture Overheating

    I have a 1996 WaveVenture 1100 Triple that just started to overheat. I have checked the impeller grate and it is clear, but I did notice that just before the temp indicator came on , the engine was acting like it was missing or maybe had dropped a cylinder. Could a fouled plug in one of the...
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    Tach Stuck - WOT's Wrong

    We just bought a 1988 Sea Ray 19' bowrider with a Mercruiser 4.3LX engine and took it out on a local lake for the 1st time. The boat ran great but I noticed 3 problems. 1. At WOT my tach was reading 3000-3400 RPM. My prop is a 4 blade with a 19 pitch. Too much prop maybe? I was expecting 1000...
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    Winterizing 1988 Mercruiser 4.3LX & Outdrive

    Can anyone help get me details on winterizing our 1988 Mercruiser 4.3LX and outdrive unit? We live in Calif and it does get below freezing for a few weeks during winter. We just bought the boat and we want to get into a habit of doing this right the first time. The boat did not come with an...
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